The Arizona sentinel., 1887-10-01

DTedk Ou One SLUG 4H0h INO UT bill CO men do the cutting out while the rest are stationed on the skirts of the field to drive back any animal which might escape. Very often COW does make break, and then it is the duty of the man nearest her to head her back into the herd. The COW and her calf are as swift as deer and as sure-footed as mules, and as the ground around the lakes is literally besprinkled with badger holes. running is accompanied with a great deal of danger. By night time the cattle have generally been collected, when camp is made and a rest is taken for the hard work to fol- low on the morrow.
 THE UNHAPPY CALF.
 The sun has scarce thought of be- stirring itself ere the little camp is in action. Wood is soon heaped up into pile, fire is ablaze, and the prepara- tion for the morning meal is rapidly made and as rapidly concluded.
 Before five o'clock the men who are to separate the cows from the calves are in the corrals. and soon finish that work. Then comes the real trouble The fire for heating the branding irons is soon alight, the man who has to drag the calves from out the inner cor ral mounts his horse and the play be- gins. The mounted man holds the end of long riata, while the moose is held by man on foot, who enters the calf crowded corral and lassos the calf The moose is slipped over the body, and is made taut at the hind foot. But before it can get to the feet there is generally trouble. Roundabout the corral bucks the calf. tumbling and sprawling. kicking and believing, and making an indescribable confusion. However, this does not last long The ropei is soon down by his feet, the word ''pull'' is given. and the calf is hauled to the gate. where a man adroitly slips a moose over its heal and fore feet. Thus bound head and feet the calf is helpless. Then a man slips out a pocket-knife. slashes its ears into whatever fashion prevails on the ranch. whilst another applies the brand ing iron. Thus in about a minute from the time the calf is caught he is marked and bran led. The calf does not seem to feel the mulilation in the least. He does not seem to vince at the looping of his ears, though sometimes a shiver does pass through its frame when the hot iron sears aH indelible mlrk upon its fark. Bat when over the calf hops gayly up and trots up to his companions as if per fectly unhurt.
 TROUBLESOME BRUTE.
 This is but mild statement of the case. The gentle reader need not i'm agine that all that the cowboy has 10 do is to enter corral and slip ropa over a six-weeks-old calf and have a horse haul the animal out. l. is by no means so easy. The calf never yields. He will kick. squirm. buck, charge, rush, and butt at every thing. Though well-nigh throttled to death, he will tug at the rope which encirclcs his neck until the rope is ready to snap with the tension. Then the alert cow boy will make rush at the calf. and, catching him on the side, will bring him with a thump on the ground, while the rest throw themselves on him with a view to brand. One seem- inglY innocent, weak-looking calf will give half a dozen men all the work they can possibly do to hold him down, it would seem that boy with ordi nary strength would be able to achieve the mastery. But the calf's chief de- light is to break away from the band when entering the corral, and then lead the horsemen dance over the badger-holes and the rocks. In this he plays a game of mathematician with masterly ingenuity. He lodges in and out among the horses, eludes the circling rope. runs underneath the horses, and practices such ingenious devices for avoiding capture that one feels like shooting the active little brute. The ages of these calves that were branded ran from three days old to one month-there were. of course, some calves branded which were older, but the majority of the animals were of that age. This will enable one to form some idea of the extraordinary strength and activity of the calf.
 The men are generally worn out after the exertion of the day, for the work in the corral is of hot, thirsty and dirty nature The dust flies in clouds; there is not the slightest pre- tense of shade, nor is there any respite until the calves are all branded. It is one continued pulling, hauling and cutting; a general mingling together of blood and dirt, with the repeated chances of a vicious kick from a stout and active leg or a prong from sharp horn. And then when it is over din- ner has to be cooked, and, while the venison steaks are frizzling in the fry ing-pan and the tea is brewing, most extraordinary stories are told of hair breadth escapes from COW and off hOrsa